Smartphones are walking surveillance machines. Yet, in today’s world, they still offer more privacy than going without them.
4
Digital Wallets Are More Secure Than Credit Cards
I was initially very skeptical when Apple, Google, and Samsung started turning their phones into ways of making payments. As if I wanted to give any of these companies more insight into everything I buy! But here’s the thing—our financial information is notoriously insecure, and it’s only gotten worse over time.
Banks and credit card companies inherently have insight into everything we buy. There’s no getting around that. The problem is that retail chains store this information too, and they don’t always do a good job of it. They suffer data breaches, leaking our credit card numbers and forcing us to go through the hassle of replacing our cards.
Digital wallets may send payments using your real credit cards, but they create a new virtual number for each transaction. When stores have their databases leaked, I don’t have to worry about replacing my cards because the store never had their numbers.
Do I trust Apple, Google, or Samsung more than I used to? Not really. But even if I’m opening the door to them seeing how I shop, at least they’re helping me reduce the number of other companies I’m sharing this information with. Assuming, that is, that they aren’t selling my data.
3
I’ve Started Using Email Alias Apps
I rarely give a company my actual email address anymore. Instead, I turn to services that generate email aliases which forward mail to my inbox.
This functionality doesn’t require a smartphone. I started using SimpleLogin as a Linux user, which let me generate aliases in my browser. SimpleLogin has since been acquired by Proton and is now a baked-in part of the Proton Pass password manager. Whenever I create a new set of login credentials for a website or app, I generate a new email address to go with my new password.
The advantage of having a smartphone means the app is always on me. If someone requires an email address while I’m out in public (such as at a store or a political campaign event), I can generate a new email on the spot. That will get me access to the coupon or information I want, then I can shut that alias down when the spam starts to flow.
2
I Can Generate Burner Payment Cards Just as Easily
Just as I’m hesitant to hand over my email address, I’m similarly cautious with my debit and credit cards.
Thanks to the Privacy app, I can generate temporary cards whenever I need to make a purchase online. This can be a one-time use card, or I can lock a card to a specific site that I regularly shop at, like Humble Bundle or Bookshop.org. That way, I don’t have to re-enter payment information every time I buy something, but I’m also not screwed if they suffer a data breach. I can generate a new card with a couple of taps.
Like with email aliases, Privacy also works in a browser, so you don’t need a phone to secure your online shopping wth it. Yet a phone offers the flexibility of being able to do this anywhere.
No, Privacy isn’t a digital wallet and doesn’t have the ability to make NFC payments. But a phone app is more accessible in any situation where I need to type in payment information, or whenever someone asks me to provide said details over the phone.
1
It’s Risky to Continue Sending SMS Text Messages
When I transitioned from a smartphone to a dumbphone and eventually the Light Phone 2, I went back to sending SMS texts to all my contacts. It didn’t feel like a big deal. I’ve sent such texts throughout much of my teenage and adult life.
I knew SMS messages were unencrypted, which meant carriers had access to their contents. What I didn’t grasp is just how many other people get their hands on this same information. It’s not just domestic government monitoring. US telecoms have at times been so compromised that the US government has recommended Americans stop using SMS and opt for encrypted messaging apps instead, according to NBC News.
Anything we send via old-school SMS text can wind up on someone’s computer for years, waiting to surface at whichever time, and in whichever way, could do the most harm. Yes, this impacts public servants and celebrities, but it also impacts anyone who has broken up with an ex who might not be all that trustworthy or who has perhaps made an enemy at their previous workplace.
In today’s world, where so much is handled over text, it’s important to have a phone that comes with secure messaging options baked in (like Apple iMessage and Google Messages) or gives you the option to download alternatives (like WhatsApp and Signal).
So yes, despite what I’ve written about ditching my smartphone in the past, I carry a smartphone these days. Yet I still do my best to take simple steps to make my phone usage as secure as I can.
